title: Resource usage in outpatient care and reimbursement for cystic fibrosis in Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Objective of this study is to assess and evaluate resource use in outpatient treatment in Germany and to compare it with remuneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient treatment was evaluated in seven different centers for pediatric and adult CF patients. Data were recorded during one representative month in 2006. A micro-costing approach was used to value resource use data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For outpatient treatment mean costs (excluding drugs) of 488 € per patient per quarter occurred. Correlation analyses identified significant cost drivers including age and co-morbidities (pancreatic insufficiency, hepatobiliary complications, lung function capacity, or bacterial lung colonization). Remuneration covered only 51% of the total costs (252 € per patient/quarter).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the human resources available to these centers today are already below the requirements set by the European consensus for standards of CF care it will be important for a high level of patient care to reach a cost-covering remuneration scheme.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health Services, Ostfalia, University of Applied Services, Wolfsburg, Germany. d.eidt-koch@ostfalia.de.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eidt-Koch
authors.forename: Thomas O F
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mittendorf
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.forename: J-Matthias
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: von der Schulenburg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Germany; cost analysis; cystic fibrosis; reimbursement